


Structural Integrity: Compromised

by Kangarooney



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Connor is a weird boi, Fire, Fluff, Gen, Hank is an alcoholic, Integrity, Tina is so done with this shit, Unexpected Friendship, apartment building goes up in, compromised, fite me irl, flames, friends - Freeform, hank is a drain on society, he's sucking connor's life out, little bit of, no beta we die like men, okay maybe not but, structural
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-07
Updated: 2019-10-07
Packaged: 2020-11-26 12:37:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20930342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kangarooney/pseuds/Kangarooney
Summary: Regardless, Connor stayed away from the new base of operations Markus and his advisors hung around and, subsequently, most deviants.Understandably, Connor thereby thought it was particularly unfair that he couldn’t even take himself out on an adventure far away from any civilization without running into a familiar face and an unfamiliar fist.As the massive android removed its fist from his face, Connor was swamped with more data informing him that the cranial foreplate was damaged irreparably and a segment of it was brushing against his central processing unit.





	Structural Integrity: Compromised

**Author's Note:**

> I word-searched "structural" and "integrity" and wish I had a thesaurus when I was writing this because they each appear 12+ times. OOPS.
> 
> I hate this title so much someone give me something better. PLEASE.

Intuitively, Connor understood the _why_ of the situation. He was RK800, the advanced prototype sent by Cyberlife to hunt deviants and crack the malfunction that was causing them to self-identify and steal themselves away. While it wasn’t widely known that his success rate was pretty miniscule, to the few who had experienced his previous actions, he was terrifying.

Knowing this, Connor made sure to keep his interactions with other deviants to a minimum. Other than Markus converting him, and his own attempts at self-destruction with the benefit of all android-kind in mind, he had been fairly successful at making up for his previous iterations’ actions. Markus spoke so confidently on how deviants couldn’t be held accountable for their actions in effort to be rid of potential danger. To use more layman terms, Markus pled self-defense for many of the murders committed by panicked, newly-awakened androids.

Often enough, Connor felt he could make his own argument on why his previous actions spent chasing deviants wasn’t who he was and maybe it was a little unjust that everyone banded together and ignored their programming and previous roles in society, yet still held him in such a negative light.

Regardless, Connor stayed away from the new base of operations Markus and his advisors hung around and, subsequently, most deviants.

Understandably, Connor thereby thought it was particularly _unfair_ that he couldn’t even take himself out on an adventure far away from any civilization without running into a familiar face and an unfamiliar fist.

The sharp crackle of blaring warnings in his visual feed disoriented Connor further as his combat protocols onlined. His gyroscopic sensors prevented him from toppling flat on his back from the TR400’s solid fist applied directly to his cranium. His left optical unit shuttered where it had been lodged deep within his oral cavity, twisted out of place and supplying only darkness for input. He knew from the warnings scrolling along the bottom of his feed that the optical unit was only going to distract him, so he removed power to the unit until it could be looked at in the future.

As the massive android removed its fist from his face, Connor was swamped with more data informing him that the forehead plate was damaged irreparably and a segment of it was brushing against his central processing unit.

Additionally, his thirium reserves were beginning to deplete through his nasal cavity and dislodged mandible unit.

Connor ignored further notifications as proximity warnings blared about an incoming object and his preconstruction program forced him to bend his knees and lean back on his hands to avoid the second fist from colliding with the right side of his face – and potentially dislodging his entire cranium from his shoulders.

With the fist sent flying widely and no impact preventing further movement, the android startled with a shout and stumbled towards Connor with a surprised expression. Connor pushed with his hands and clamped his legs together to vault between the wide stance of the other. He rolled over and sprung to his feet. The TR400 was turning too slowly towards Connor.

Connor ran preconstructions and was presented with two options:

He could fully engage his combat protocols and leap upon the TR400’s back. He’d have to reach around the facial unit and dig his hands into its eyes and throat to gain access to the autonomy sensor and disable the unit’s motor functions. Reaching his hand down the throat would cause immense damage to his own arm as well as the sanity of the other – having your motor functions disabled forcibly was a traumatic experience that would no doubt create many future problems for the deviant.

The deviant wouldn’t go down without a fight. And while Connor now had the advantage since surprise was no longer in the other’s repertoire, he also knew that TR400s were built to withstand working limits up to forty-three tons. Connor wasn’t.

Also, Connor didn’t want to disable the unit.

His second option was to turn tail and flee. RK800s were designed for chases; while the intent had been to _catch_ deviants; as a deviant himself now, Connor could repurpose it to _flee_ from them instead.

Besides, other than his pride, Connor supposed fleeing was in his best interest. He hadn’t actually done anything other than greet the android.

Faced with his two options

**[Fight] [Flee]**

Conner fled. 

* * *

“Luther?” Kara asked, when the larger android returned inside their new apartment. His fist was dented and Alice was staring at him with downhearted expression which reminded Kara of her days in Todd’s care.

“Hello Kara.” Luther replied. He settled on the couch beside her.

“What happened?” She grabbed his fist and began to turn it over in her own. “Is there danger?”

It wasn’t often for Luther to be at a loss for words. “I,” he swallowed. “Remember what you told me about the Deviant Hunter?”

“Ye-es.” She replied, thoughts going back to the time when she and Alice were chased across the highway by the killer sent by Cyberlife. “What about it?”

“Well.”

Alice seemed to have enough with the discussion and pulled herself up into Kara’s lap. “Luther punched him. He wasn’t even doing anything to Luther and Luther punched him.” She turned betrayed eyes to the android in question. “He was just standing by the park looking at the pigeons. We were by the swing set and he looked my way, Kara.” She frowned. “He was different. He was smiling and _happy_, Kara.”

Luther rubbed a hand over his face. “I remembered what you said about him chasing you and then he was so close to Alice…”

“All he said was _‘Hello!’_ to me!” Alice said.

“Wait. Wait.” Kara held up her hands and looked at the two of them. “The Deviant Hunter was at the park, he said hello and Luther punched him?” She frowned. She didn’t like the Deviant Hunter. He had made her and Alice’s flight that much more dangerous. But. Kara hesitated to condemn him for his actions. He’d been a machine – assigned a task.

Had it been any time before, Kara had no doubt she would have attacked the hunter to prevent him from harming Alice, as well. But that was _before_. “What else happened?”

Luther opened his mouth again, but Alice beat him to it. “Luther punched him in the face and was going to hit him again but he dropped on the ground and ran away. He didn’t even hurt Luther after, Kara.”

Kara kept frowning. “I don’t know Luther.”

“I know, Kara.” Luther sighed. “I am sorry.”

* * *

Connor carefully relocated his mandible unit and worked his mouth up open and closed to make sure all was in working order. Besides the obvious grating between plates bent out of place, he deemed it alright. The dent which buckled his forehead plate was – as his programming warned him earlier – irreparable. Which meant that Connor would have to repair it, considering he had no money and returning to Cyberlife was not an option.

Hank… Connor wouldn’t go to Hank. The Lieutenant had relapsed horrifically after the first week of android freedom. Connor had visited him every day and been attempting to curb the man’s alcohol consumption. But as a detective unit, Connor had not been installed with caretaker protocols or medical qualifications and therefore hadn’t noticed the shudders or sleeplessness and subsequently how close the man was to a relapse.

After sending Hank to the hospital, Connor had dug deep into the man’s accounts and noticed how depleted his bank account was. Police Lieutenant paid well, but not enough for an alcoholic who didn’t plan on living longer than the year. Connor had had to settle Hank’s accounts and used the remaining stipend Cyberlife had provided him for Human Integration and taxis to pay off the many debts Hank had accumulated. It was a wonder the IRS hadn’t already taken away his house, considering.

Well Connor couldn’t go to Hank and he couldn’t purchase a new cranial plate. So, he was left figuring out how to repair irreparable damage.

What particularly irritated Connor, was that despite his deviation, booting Amanda to the curb and rewriting of his own code; whenever he was damaged, the blare of warnings informing him to ‘_Seek a Cyberlife technician immediately!’ _wouldn’t go away.

“Considering the last thing a Cyberlife technician would like to do is assist the android which destroyed their failsafe plan, I’d rather not.” Speaking aloud was unnecessary considering he was alone, yet Connor often found comfort in his own voice when his thoughts grew too loud, demanding answers.

He understood the fix was an issue, he wasn’t an idiot. Yet Cyberlife had always treated him like a baby learning to walk for the first time. Amanda had held his processor between two blades of her shears and smiled with her teeth. He’d been a machine, designed to follow orders. If Cyberlife actually believed in themselves, then they wouldn’t have had to go to such lengths to try and keep him under their power. The very fact they’d places so many safeguards around him was proof that they had no idea what they were creating – and knew what a mistake he would be.

He digressed.

Connor removed the polymer-skin and stretched out a leg. The plating covering the back of his ankles was almost the same size as his cranial foreplate. The bend in the metal was intentional, but retained integrity. If he applied secular force to the bend and flattened the plate out, lengthened the bend, then perhaps he could place it on his cranium. The polymer-skin would warp a little, giving him a more bruised countenance, perhaps deforming his head a bit. But the structural integrity would probably hold up.

Maybe not to another punch directly to the face from a TR400, but definitely to the scrutiny of his human counterparts at the precinct.

Undoubtedly, other androids would immediately notice the damage and misplaced unit. But considering Connor’s limited contact with them, they wouldn’t be much of a problem.

The next problem, lied in the dented _irreparable_ cranial foreplate. If he rebent it to the shape of the other plate it could serve as a temporary, superficial plate to allow his polymer skin to cover the missing plate. If any pressure greater than running were to be applied, Connor had no doubt the useless plate would crumple.

Well. It’s not like Connor had a choice.

* * *

Android-human relations had significantly improved since the Revolution’s success two years previous. Unfortunately, it was a fact that not everyone had warmed up to the new species’ existence and android hate crimes existed. Humans getting caught in the crosshairs was particularly infrequent. However, it still occurred.

The torching of an entire apartment complex housing both androids and humans was a one-of-a-kind circumstance which had officers, paramedics and firefighters rushing to assist in the middle of the night.

With the Lieutenant incapacitated for the unforeseen future, though likely never to return to the field, Connor was assigned to assist Officer Chen as a partner. Despite the officer’s friendship with Detective Reed, Connor was pleased to say she was a professional and had warmed up to him well enough. They were not friends by any account, but Connor could say that he counted on her to have his back.

Firemen ushered panicked residents of the apartment to ambulances as neighbors milled about, curious to see the commotion and panicked for their own apartments. S.W.A.T. members searched the garages of the nearby apartments and police lines were set up around the entire block’s parameters. Police officers shooed curious bystanders away and assisted in caring for traumatized residents.

Amidst it all, Connor recognized an AX400 with short, white hair clutching a small YK500 to her chest as they shuddered near an Emergency Technical Dispatch van. Other deviants stood bereft of all belongings, staring at the inferno which was their home for such a short time.

Not entirely understanding why, he strode towards the two of them. His previous interaction near the small YK500 came to the forefront of his mind as a warning and warily he scanned the area for the hulking TR400, but came back clean.

Carefully he approached the pair and crouched down beside them. “Hello.” He tried again, smiling crookedly.

The AX400 scrubbed her face and glanced his way, before tightening her hold on the YK500. But the child android wriggled free and grabbed Connor’s hand. “You have to save Luther!” She cried out, eyes begging him to understand. Her hand bled to white and a prompt requesting a connection appeared in his feed.

Connor accepted.

A happy family lay curled side-by-side-by-side in a large mattress. The hulking TR400, _Luther_, enveloped both the YK500, _Alice_, and AX400, _Kara_, in its arms as the two lay snuggled together. From the YK- Alice’s position, Connor felt comfort and safety. Then a thundering crash startled the trio awake and Alice screamed.

Within moments, the three were up and glancing out the window, attempting to discover the source of the noise. Luther hurried to the main room ushering Alice and Kara after him. He wrapped them up in blankets and they began making their way down the hall to escape the apartment.

Another boom had the entire building shuddering. A scream escaped a room to their left and Luther halted his movements. He kicked the door in and

_Connor shuddered feeling the weight of Luther’s fist_

shouldered his way into the apartment. Moments later he exited, carrying the body of another android. “Her cabinet fell on her.” He informed Alice and Kara, once again leading the way out.

They made it out of the apartment complex without further obstacles. Luther made sure to carefully prop the other android against the curb and turned to Alice. “Please watch over her, Alice.” He then turned to reenter the building.

“Wait! Luther!” Kara called, grabbing his arm. “What are you-?”

“I must go help. There may be others like her.” He gestured to the android on the ground.

Kara squeezed her fists tightly then nodded, once, sharp and quick. “Be safe.”

Alice let Connor go after they both watched Luther disappear inside the building.

“Please help him.” She stared deep into Connor’s eyes. “He didn’t mean to hurt you, well he thought you were going to hurt me. He’s sorry.”

Kara pulled Alice back into her arms and stared carefully at Connor. “Luther hasn’t returned since. There have been a few more shifts since…” She squeezed Alice. “It’s okay. He’s okay.”

Connor looked at the two of them for a long minute before smoothly standing once more. “If I hear any news about him. I will inform you.”

* * *

The steady rush of inhabitants from the apartment had faded to a trickle which had eventually faded to none. Connor was displeased to note that none of them were the TR400 Luther, whom Alice had commissioned – _asked_ – him to save. The structural integrity of the building was nearly gone. Already half of it had caved in and only the continued spray of firehoses prevented the fire from spreading to the nearby buildings.

Glancing back at the duo of female androids, Connor speculated the possibility that Luther was destroyed. He’d asked several of the more proactive survivors on whether they’d seen the large android and only one android had agreed. “He was clearing the hallways making them easier for us to get through. I asked if he needed help and he just told me to help everyone who got out.” The android shrugged. “That was a while ago and I haven’t seen him since.”

A commotion near the entrance had Connor jerking from his thoughts and rushing forward with a fireman to assist the next survivor out. Firemen had entered earlier to search the building for survivors and this was the last. “Structure is completely unstable.” He huffed to his coworkers and surrounding officers. “We can’t go back in, the heat is too intense and I’m not sure anyone is left inside.”

Connor frowned and glared at the flames. “There’s a TR400 in there. It was assisting in clearing the hallways for survivors.” He glanced at the firefighter. “If you can’t go back in, then I must.” He stepped forward.

“Connor, what the fuck-“ A woman grabbed the android and spun him around. Officer Chen was glistening in sweat, coated in ashes and dirt. “If the firefighter says not to go in, then don’t go the hell in there!”

Connor flexed his hands and stared into her eyes. “I’ve been requested to retrieve this member of the apartment building and if my source is correct then the TR- then Luther has made all of our jobs that much easier.” He looked down at Officer Chen’s hand tightly holding his arm. “I apologize officer. But I must do my duty. I am an advanced prototype and can scan the surroundings to determine structural integrity and the best route to take. I do not intend to allow myself to be terminated within the building, nor do I intend for Luther to be destroyed either. I appreciate your concern, however it is unjustified.”

Connor gently pulled his arm from her grasp and turned away. No one else stood in his way as he strode into the burning building.

_Scanning. Structural integrity compromised. Recommended route: Exit building immediately_.

While Connor had attempted to assure Officer Chen and the surrounding emergency personnel, he had omitted to mention that his Advanced Technology was hindered by the Cyberlife engineers need to state the obvious. Every way he turned and scanned, his programming screamed at him to exit the building at all cost otherwise he could be damaged irreparably.

“Obviously.” He muttered to himself, ignoring the blocked letters in his feed screaming at him to exit the building and opted to read the fine print options.

The hallway which continued to the right had the second most integrity, but Connor highly doubted the TR400 was just down the corridor, or he would have already escaped. The stairs which led all the way to the roof buzzed at 24% integrity and his vision _blared redredred_ when he looked their way.

Connor chose the stairs.

* * *

Connor scanned the 12th floor for the android. The entire complex was shuddering and up here, away from the reach of firefighters’ hoses, Connor was having great difficulty finding a safe path. Cyberlife’s _‘Exit Immediately’_ messages were starting to sound much more pleasant than the steady trickle of thirium leaking from his hands from digging through rubble.

“Okay.” He decided aloud. “If you don’t find Luther next floor then you’re leaving.”

Coincidentally, Connor discovered Luther on the 13th floor.

The TR400 was carefully perched on a burning beam, staring at the vacant space around it. Connor scanned the area and noted the structural integrity was nearing on 5% and wondered how the mass of the android hadn’t entirely collapsed the beam yet.

“Luther!” He called out, inching closer to the hole. Luther slowly raised his eyes from his situation and stared at Connor in surprise. “I’m here to help you, Luther. Kara and Alice are outside and would like to see you again!” Once he was sure he had the other’s attention, he gathered his preconstructions and held up one hand.

“Luther, I need you to prepare yourself. Your perch has a structural integrity of 6.5% right now and will likely shatter upon your movement. I’m going to reach out my hand and I want you to grab it. It’s alright the integrity here is about 36% and should hold your weight and force. I need you to push from that perch and aim for me.”

“Why are you helping me?” Luther replied, returning to staring at the perch he’d been stuck on. “I hurt you and you’re the Deviant Hunter.

Connor ignored the instinctive tensing of his shoulders and subsequent strain on his neck plates. “I _was_ the Deviant Hunter. I _am_ a police officer and it is my _duty_ to assist the citizens of this city. As a legal citizen, you are under my jurisdiction. Like I said, Alice wants to see you again. Please come see her.” The beam was 4.8% and decreasing.

Luther gave Connor an intense stare and _pushed_. For a brief second he launched forward and the sound of the frame cracking followed after.

Then Connor felt his arm jolting as the weight of Luther _wrenched_ against him and he careened forward with the other. His other arm gripped the wall reflexively and he felt another grinding pop when the two of them halted. The TR400 stared up at him as he dangled below. Connor grit his dental plates – _teeth Connor, humans call them teeth_ – together and attempted to pull.

“You’re going to have to climb m-me.” He stuttered on the last word.

Luther hauled himself over the edge of the hole and released Connor’s arm once he was back on the floor. Connor felt like he could float away at the sudden lightness and he almost fell over – if not for the wall.

“O-okay.” He wriggled his arms and grunted as grinding echoed up his frame and his feed blared with messages informing him to return to Cyberlife immediately for repairs. “Okay, Luther.” He stumbled up and gestured for the other to do the same. “Follow me, we have to get out _now_.”

The two androids stumbled through the maze of inferno. Luther still shifted collapsed furniture out of the way, disengaging his polymer-skin to avoid the sensitive nano-bots getting damaged from the pressure-heat. Connor gestured the direction. Sometimes they had to lower each other through holes in floor-ceilings to avoid the collapsed staircase.

At floor 7, though, Connor halted and stared down, down, down. He leaned away from the gaping hole and glanced at Luther. “I. Well we can’t continue this way.” He looked to a blown-out window and beckoned Luther to follow.

Initializing his inner comm. unit, Connor called Officer Chen.

It rang freely before going to voicemail. Connor grimaced and called again.

_Ring. Rin-ingg. Ri-_ “Officer Chen!” She yelled into the phone, the cacophony of fire engines, ambulance and people in the background.

“Officer Chen.” Connor started, only to be interrupted.

“What the- _Connor!_ Oh my god you’re still alive, thank _God_. You have me worried sick down here – where are you?”

Connor slid the blown-out window up and flinched as the fire around him roared higher. “I am on the eastern side of the apartment complex, level 7. The stairs have completely collapsed to the basement. I have no escape that way.”

“Oh _shit_.” She said. “What can we do?”

He leaned out the window and scanned down the side of the building. Aside from occasional flames licking out from windows, he was pleased to note the outer integrity wasn’t compromised. “I have located the TR400. I am planning on climbing out a window and together we will make our way down the side of the building.”

“So what I’m hearing is to send a firetruck over there and get you two some ladders. Roger that.” She shouted indecipherably away from the phone. “Do not hang up on me. I know this is attached to your head and won’t affect you at all, just keep me on here and I’ll help anyway I can.”

“Understood Officer.” He turned to Luther and pointed at the window. “I’ve scanned the outer integrity and determined the most positive route to take. The firefighters will approach with ladders to assist our descent.” He shared the path with Luther and gestured to the window. “You go first.”

Connor watched the larger unit scramble down the side of the building. He called out directions to keep it on the safest path. Once he determined it – _he, Connor, he_ – was on safer terrain, Connor lowered himself out the window.

The grating in his shoulder joints echoed in his cranium and, apparently, over the call as well.

“What was that, Connor?” Officer Chen asked, no doubt wincing at the next catch-_grinnnd_ that had Connor slowly lowering himself.

“No worries, Officer.” He replied. The arm Luther had placed his entire weight on was slow to respond to his prompts to move and he almost hesitated in swiping away the _stupid stupid_ Cyberlife message telling him to report to a technician. “No time.” He muttered to himself and tried to delete all the notifications.

“No time for what? What isn’t there time for, Connor?” Officer Chen sharply retorted.

Connor huffed and ignored her. His toes gripped a crack before he repositioned his arms. His preconstruction software informed him this would take no longer than a few minutes, indeed Luther was nearly to the firetruck by now, yet Connor was tentatively lowering himself inch-by-inch.

“Connor. I’m watching you. Connor, we have eyes on you. It’s okay.”

He made his away a few more feet and sighed as he settled on another window ledge. The _irreparable see Cyberlife technician immediately_ cranium foreplate he’d placed on his ankle shifted suddenly and Connor panted sharply. “_Shit!_” He cursed, curling into himself on the window ledge and inched one hand to cradle the foot.

He hadn’t considered what the heat would do to his superficial plating. He had only preconstructed the time within the building accounting for his _designed_ plating, not the damages he’s sustained since then. He ignored the Officer’s startled _Connor?_ and disengaged the polymer to inspect the ankle. His wiring had melted to his metali-skeleton. He hadn’t noticed the damage because the heat inside had kept the whole joint mobile. But in the relatively cooler by comparison outside air, the wires had cooled and solidified against his ankle rendering it useless.

He couldn’t climb down the side of the building with two malfunctioning shoulders and a useless ankle.

“Shit!” He shouted, smashing the same hand against the window. He had only a moment to realize the stupidity of the action when the window exploded outwards at the additional force shoving him away from the ledge and his only safety. “_No!”_ He flailed in the air.

In the background he thought he may have heard Officer Chen scream his name, but couldn’t focus as the ground below him rushed to meet him.

His preconstruction software only assisted in slowing time down enough for him to appreciate the approach of the ground that much longer. Upturned faces stared in fright and confusion as he tumbled to the ground.

* * *

Tina threw her phone on the ground and rushed to the form crunched into the ground. Ever since Connor walked into the building, she had felt her stress levels climb to near hysterics. But as a trained officer, she’d forced her emotions out the window and done her job.

Then Connor had called and she’d rushed as close to the building as she could. When he mentioned the Eastern side she’d already called someone over and run to his location. His head had poked out the window and hand of disbelief had seized her. Thankfully he’d mentioned climbing, not jumping, and she had thanked all the religious dieties she knew that he was smart enough to figure another way down.

He wasn’t allowed to hang up on her, she wanted to be there for every damn second of this.

The grinding noises had been disconcerting. She’d almost thrown her phone to get away from the bone-chilling sounds. Only the realization that they were from Connor stopped her. Unlike her own background noises of disaster, Connor’s call was in complete silence except his voice. Which meant that those _noises_ were also coming from Connor.

That was bad.

She’d tried to get him to talk. But he had brushed her aside. His follow-up comment didn’t sound like it was for her, a small mutter of _“No time”_ which set her teeth on edge. Unthinkingly she murmured encouragements to him. She barely spared the hulking android a glance as it was rushed away from the building. Her eyes were glued to her partner’s form as he inched to the next window ledge, a floor down.

Good, good. He only had a few more floors and then to the right and he could get on the ladders.

Then he cursed; and Tina blinked, her mouth gaped. “Connor?” She asked, startled. He seemed to curl into a ball on the ledge. He yelled another curse and within seconds too many things happened. He seemed to spasm, a shatter of glass and he was _blown_ away from the building.

Her phone was still pressed against her ear when he hit the ground and the following snapping of metal and blaring alarms got her moving. Tina threw her phone on the ground and rushed to the form crunched into the ground. 

* * *

Connor stared at his reflection in the mirror of the car’s visor. After the fire, he’d been rushed to a Cyberlife Technician who had immediately lectured him on incorrectly placed plating. They’d fixed his damage then held out a hand for payment. Before Connor could even begin to despair on his lack of money, Officer Chen had swiped her card in the machine and pulled Connor out after her.

Now they were seated in her patrol car beside a small diner. The night had been exhausting and the fire had taken another four hours to burn out under the watchful eye of emergency responders. Officer Chen had left with Connor’s body and remained in the waiting room with a cold coffee until he’d been rebooted.

In the driver’s seat, her head rested against the wheel and Connor stared at his reflection.

“Why.” Tina moaned, rubbing her face. “Connor why did you have your body plates, or whatever they’re called, in the wrong places?” She asked.

Connor opened his mouth. He stared at his reflection with his mouth agape, ready to answer with none prepared. Connor closed his mouth. His own reflection stared back in horror.

“Ugh.” She opened the door and together they entered the diner. Once she had a large omelet and her second cup of coffee, she looked straight at him. “Connor.”

He frowned, forehead crinkling. The correct plating allowed the expression to settle in place correctly and he wondered at the strange feeling of no warnings buzzing around. “I sustained damage several months back and was unable to receive proper repairs.” He admitted. He looked down at the shiny metal table and wondered if they shined it professionally, would he be able to see his reflection?

“Why not?” She asked.

“I.” He glanced to the side and thought back to the last time he had seen Hank.

Hank had yelled and screamed about Connor selling his house. “_How the fuck am I supposed to ever get better if my own dam android gets rid of everything I own, huh?_” He’d ignored Connor’s explanations on how there wasn’t any money left and the Lieutenant hadn’t used it recently anyhow.

_“God. Connor._” He had said. _“I’m trying but you’re completely controlling my life and aren’t you supposed to be a big promoter of individual’s freedoms? How come you’re allowed to do whatever you want, yet you also fucking lock me away in this damned facility away from everything I own? You’re a fucking hypocrite!_”

“I have no money.” He replied, shuttering his eyes and ignoring the _‘Error, error, rise in stress levels_’ message.

“What the fuck.” Officer Chen replied. “They pay you. Right? You’re not working at the precinct for free.”

“No. Officer Chen-“

“Oh my g- call me Tina.”

“Off- Tina.” He hesitated. “The precinct pays me well enough to pay my apartment rent and electricity for my recharge cycles. However any additional payment is being used to contribute to Hank’s-“

“Rehab?” She choked on her eggs and Connor briefly wondered if he would have to perform the Heimlich maneuver. Then realized it would be alright because the grinding in his shoulders was gone and wasn’t that just disconcerting?

“Rehab.” She repeated. “You’re paying for Anderson’s rehab?”

“Ye-es.”

“Connor the department is supposed to pay for his fucking rehab! Fowler was just mentioning how surprised he is by how cheap everything is considering Hank’s using real people – and now I hear you’ve been paying out of your own pocket for the old man. Damn.”

“The… precinct pays?” Connor couldn’t fathom this information.

“It’s because he is, or was, a police Lieutenant and despite how good the rest of us are at hiding it, our jobs are pretty terrible and we are all fucked up. So whether it’s an alcohol addiction, anger issues or just stress through the roof, the department is required to pay for the mental instability the career brings its officers.”

“…oh.”

“Yeah. _‘Oh.’_ Even though Anderson got really fucked over his poor kid and wife in that car accident, he was struggling long before and that shit just tipped him over the edge. It’s a wonder he didn’t turn to Red Ice. Drugs is another issue.” She shrugged. “Sorry you’re stuck in this field, man. But.” She angled a fork at him. “You have to tell me if you’re having problems. That’s the thing about the precinct, we’re all fucked up and we all have each other’s backs. You got mine, I got yours.”

“Thank you, Officer Chen.” Connor smiled.

“I told you it’s fucking Tina.” She groused.

“My apologies… fucking Tina.”

“Oh my god, did you just make a joke?”

**Author's Note:**

> So in my headcanon Hank has an alcohol addiction which can't just disappear from some feel-good android and the revolution. He's got serious **issues**. I also never liked the whole Markus and Connor being best friends. Connor is too much of a conditioned-weapon and definitely terrified half the deviant population. (Though I have serious thoughts about the whole rumor thing - it's like in Pirates of the Caribbean, if no one ever escaped, then where did the stories come from?)
> 
> Somehow this turned into a Tina-Connor friendship fic and I can honestly say I really like it. I also love Gavin!Redemption so if you squint at Tina's explanation you can see it, a little. 
> 
> AnyWAY, drop a comment if you like! I'd love your opinions!


End file.
